Constantine Cavafy (as he wanted the family name to be spelled in English) was born in Alexandria, Egypt in 1863.
The “Alexandrian” (as he is known in Greece) is one of the greatest Greek poets. However, at first, his work didn’t receive the recognition one would expect, mainly because his style was so much different from the – then – mainstream Greek poetry.
“He is the most anti-poetic poet I know” George Seferis once remarked about Cavafy with admiration. It is true that Cavafy’s unusual, sui generis language, his passion for detail along with his profound and extensive knowledge of Greek history inspired a new generation of poets, who were influenced by his unique style.
In 1911, Cavafy wrote one of his most well-known poems, Ithaca. This was inspired by the return journey of Odysseus to his home island (Ithaca) and in essence it tells us that the journey is much more important that the destination.
